My 2021 reading challenge isn’t completed. I failed to read a total of 30 books last year. Geez, it’s already last year, huh? I pretty much laid out why I didn’t complete the 2021 reading challenge, but I do have some highlights that I can mention.
The most memorable reading was the series written by Ann Swinfen. I remember falling in love with Nicholas Elyot as I started with the first book of Oxford Medieval Mysteries. I intentionally put off reading the last book because I wanted to savour the moment when I finally read it. It’s the last Ann Swinfen’s book, by the way, and I want to honour every page I read.
I guess, partly because I am sad that it’s the last Nicholas Elyot’s book.
And then, I discovered Matthew Harffy and his Bernicia Chronicles. I still owe myself to write a review for each Bernicia book I read. Again, still haven’t got around to doing it last year.
I won’t blame the various events that happened in 2021 for my lack of time writing these Harffy reviews. I know the books were amazeballs. But I was too stunned to wrap my head around the stories and write a proper review.
Maybe I intentionally stopped my reading activity after I finished For Lord & Land because I’m afraid to be disappointed by the next book I pick up. That’s the effect the Harffy books had on me.
But anyway, I managed to finish 22 books in 2021, which is not bad at all. Even better, I wrote several reviews as part of my writing exercise, which is also good progress!
2022 Reading Challenge
I just visited Goodreads and started the 2022 Reading Challenge. I set the target to 36 books, meaning I should be able to read and write a review of three books each month. That’s sensible, doable, and achievable, right?
Is it a good idea to list the books I’m going to read by month? I might do that—I don’t know. Maybe not, cause I feel like it’s stealing the fun of following my mood on picking which books to read at any moment. I think I’m just going to go with my guts here… I won’t be making lists.
Though I do have a list of authors that I want to read in 2022.
Since January started already, I think I will pick up some shelved books that I wanted to read last year. Maybe I’ll start with the Medieval Murderers series or finish Minette Walter’s The Turn of Midnight. I’m doing all this as I wait for Matthew Harffy’s next Bernicia book. Or if I’m super blessed, another Ken Follett’s book.
I want to also start (and finish) on Bernard Cornwell’s Saxon Stories because I refuse to watch the TV series. Plus, the timeline is contemporary to the Bernicia Chronicles, so it should be fun and easy to follow.
Oh, I can also pick up Candace Robb’s Owen Archer series.
Time management is such a personal theme for my 2022. You can find me rambling about the best time management app I use to welcome 2022’s tasks. Personally, I still beat myself up about being so bad at managing time in 2021.
I think, the older I get, the more panicky I become when faced with too much stuff to handle. I wasn’t always like that, believe me. I want to embody the younger version of me who’s not panicky and jittery when stumbling upon several things to deal with at once. Wish me luck!
Now let the Reading Challenge begin!
Connect with me on Goodreads and share what books you’re reading in 2022.
